Telehealth in 2021
Hello welcome to 2021! I hope everybody had a happy and healthy new year and is looking forward to all good things to come in the upcoming year.
Somebody asked me about how I have dealt with the transition from in-person training and physical therapy to Tele health visits. My response was I love it!
I love working with people via Telehealth. I find it very easy. I tend to be an exercise basedtherapist anyways, so watching somebody move on video to me is just as easy as watching somebody in person . Truthfully, I like it more because I can actually spend the time I want with people. It’s uninterrupted. I can take my time. We can review things easily. If somebody has a question, it’s so easy to sit and actually talk it through. So for me, working with Tele health has been a blessing. I think my clients have really enjoyed it too. They they are learning new exercises and ways to move. They’re taking ownership for what they do and for how they feel.
With in-person physical therapy, we do hands-on treatment including massage and joint mobility. I especially miss being able to physically guide someone into the right movement, by giving tactile feedback. I also love playing with feet! I know it sounds really odd and weird, but I love mobilizing people’s feet and seeing the difference that it makes, in their trunk, in their core and just in general. That piece is missing but I can still work on improving somebody’s foot and hip mobility by instructing and watching them move. It’s easy from my perspective, to give specific exercises like rotating your hips to one side or the other. I can see in the in the monitor what direction you’re going and how much it moves into each quadrant on the video. It gives a really objective means to assess progress. My clients have said the same thing.
We all miss being in person. 100%. I miss the human connection and I like socializing with people. I also think everybody has done really well in finding ways to move and feel better despite that.
Some of the benefits of doing a Tele health or a virtual fitness visit, especially right now, is the Covid factor. It is less risky, from the safety of your own home. You don’t have to worry about going anywhere and being exposed. It’s also nice to be able to be your own home and do it at your own schedule, while finding a way to move in your normal environment. If we go to gym we may spend an hour; if you go into physical therapy you may spend an hour; but then what happens outside of that? Learning how to move and create good habits in your own home can really do wonders for your overall mobility. Your physical therapist or personal trainer can see what you actually have at home for equipment, see how your house is set up, and you can you can get a lot of ideas for how to correct your own set up. You can work with what you have at home. That is life, right? We don’t spend our life in a gym. Having somebody watch you from a video, can be a tremendous help. I found it it’s been very helpful for my clients. Many people have seen my house (and you know I’m not I I’m not a fan of house cleaning..lol) and they get to know me. And I get to know you and I get to know exactly what your habits are which is really helpful in creating an exercise routine, and to plan for what’s going to help you. This makes it more specific and individualized because your needs and wants are different than mine.
Another benefit of telehealth or virtual fitness visits is time management. If you are having to take 15 minutes to drive to the gym and 15 minutes back home; or my travel time of getting there; doing it virtually allows me to see more people and to spend more time with them because I don’t have to travel to get there. Or if you’re working out you might have that extra 10 to 15 minutes for your workout because you don’t have to sit in a car and travel to get to the location. So it definitely is time and energy saving.
I do think that returning to in person visits will happen. My perception is that we will go to more one on one time, with more time spent. Truthfully I think that’s what is needed in the physical therapy and personal training world. That is one reason that I wanted to get out on my own and be away from the corporate physical therapy world. I enjoy having the time to talk to somebody and create a relationship and really take the time to listen and truly helping them feel better.
I think what I learned in 2020 is the benefit of having this time alone with my clients and being able to connect more. I think that is going to be huge going forward. It may have started because of Covid but in general, our humanity, our one to one personal relationships, is a huge piece of our life. We have been involved in so many different things that life has been chaotic. Having a personal conversation is going to be huge going forward. I know a lot of people miss that big group interaction. I certainly miss friends. And I think slowing down and actually taking the time to recognize what you’re feeling how your feeling and connecting with people has been a blessing.
So, for me, Tele health is the same or better. I do my notes the same as going to see somebody. It’s really been an enjoyable process.
I hope you get out and do some movement enjoy where you’re at. Take today as it comes. Know that you are just where you need to be. Drink some water. Do a little movement. Check in with your diet. Check in with your mindset. Give somebody some praise. Get out there and enjoy 2021. And if you’re in need of some accountability or help getting yourself to move better, try a Telehealth visit. You just might be pleasantly surprised.